Exhaust assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to an exhaust assembly for an agricultural vehicle. Example embodiments include an exhaust assembly (200) for an agricultural vehicle, the assembly (200) comprising: an exhaust pipe (201) comprising an inlet (202) and an outlet (203); and a housing (204) connected to an exterior of the exhaust pipe (201) and extending between the inlet (202) and outlet (203), wherein the housing (204) comprises an integrated camera system (206) having a camera (207) with a field of view extending laterally to an axis of the exhaust pipe (201).

Description

EXHAUST ASSEMBLYFIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to an exhaust assembly for an agricultural vehicle.BACKGROUND

[0002] FIG.l illustrates an example agricultural vehicle in the form of a tractor 100. The tractor 100 comprises a chassis 101 on which are mounted front wheels 102 and rear wheels 103. An engine enclosure 104 towards the front of the tractor 100 encloses an engine and associated components. The engine is connected to an exhaust assembly 105, which includes a tailpipe that extends vertically, directing exhaust gases away from the tractor 100. A cab 106 is located towards a rear of the tractor 100 behind the enclosure 104.

[0003] The height of the tailpipe, typically termed a stackpipe, may be similar to the height of the cab 106, which ensures that the driver is not exposed to exhaust fumes. Since the cab 106 is typically mounted on a suspension system that allows movement of the cab 106 relative to the chassis 101, rear view mirrors and other components attached to the cab 106 are at risk of collision with the exhaust assembly 105. In the case of rear-view mirrors, this may alter the mirror's viewing angle and / or damage other components of the tractor. The combination of the exhaust assembly 105 with a set of physical rear view mirrors results in a significant obstruction to the driver's field of view. Furthermore, physical mirrors may have a limited capability in terms of visual options presented to the driver.BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] In an aspect of the invention there is provided an exhaust assembly for an agricultural vehicle, the exhaust assembly comprising: an exhaust pipe comprising an inlet and an outlet; and a housing connected to an exterior of the exhaust pipe and extending between the inlet and outlet, wherein the housing comprises an integrated camera system having a camera with a field of view extending laterally to an axis of the exhaust pipe.

[0005] In some embodiments, the integrated camera system is contained within a recess in the housing.

[0006] In some embodiments, the integrated camera system is contained at least partially within a relief structure extending from an exterior of the housing.

[0007] In some embodiments, the housing comprises a transparent screen covering the camera system.

[0008] In some embodiments, the integrated camera system comprises a vibration damper mounting the camera to the housing.

[0009] In some embodiments, the vibration damper is an active vibration damper.

[0010] In some embodiments, the camera comprises a plurality of lenses arranged to extend a field of view of the camera.

[0011] In some embodiments, the camera has a range of view in excess of 180 degrees.

[0012] In some embodiments, the integrated camera system comprises a motorised mount configured to rotate the camera about a rotation axis. The rotation axis may be parallel to an axis of the exhaust pipe.

[0013] In some embodiments, the camera system comprises a first base plate to which the motorised mount is fixed, the motorised mount comprising a motor having a rotatable shaft to which the camera is mounted.

[0014] In some embodiments, the camera system comprises a second base plate and a plurality of anti-vibration mounts connecting the first base plate to the second base plate. Each of the plurality of anti-vibration mounts may comprise a compression spring.

[0015] According to a second aspect there is provided an agricultural vehicle comprising an exhaust assembly according to the first aspect, wherein the exhaust assembly is mounted with an axis of the exhaust pipe vertical relative to an upright orientation of the vehicle.

[0016] The agricultural vehicle may be a tractor, with the exhaust assembly mounted adjacent a cab of the tractor. The cab may comprise a screen configured to display an image from the camera. A field of view of the camera may extend across a side and a rear of the tractor.

[0017] Within the scope of this application it should be understood that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out herein, and individual features thereofmay be taken independently or in any possible and compatible combination. Where features are described with reference to a single aspect or embodiment, it should be understood that such features are applicable to all aspects and embodiments unless otherwise stated or where such features are incompatible.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] One or more embodiments of the invention / disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an example agricultural vehicle in the form of a tractor;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing illustrating an example exhaust assembly for an agricultural vehicle;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing illustrating an example integrated camera system for the exhaust assembly of Fig. 2;

[0022] FIG. 4a is a schematic plan view drawing of an example exhaust assembly;

[0023] FIGs. 4b and 4c are schematic sectional plan views of alternative example integrated camera systems for the exhaust assembly of Fig. 4a; and

[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing illustrating a sectional top view of a tractor cab and exhaust assembly.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] FIG.2 illustrates an example exhaust assembly 200 for an agricultural vehicle. The exhaust assembly 200 comprises an exhaust pipe 201 and a housing 204. The exhaust pipe 201 comprises an inlet 202 and an outlet 203. The housing 204 is connected to an exterior of the exhaust pipe 201 and extends between the inlet 202 and the outlet 203. The housing 204 comprises an integrated camera system 206 having a camera 207 with a field of view extending laterally to an axis 208 of the exhaust pipe 201.

[0026] The agricultural vehicle of this particular example is a tractor, for example of the type illustrated in FIG.1. As shown in FIG. 2, the exhaust assembly 204 is mounted adjacent to acab 106 of the tractor 100. Other mounting positions of the exhaust assembly 200 relative to other components of the tractor 100 are also possible. The exhaust assembly 200 is mounted with an axis 208 of the exhaust pipe 201 extending vertically relative to an upright orientation of the tractor 100. However, other orientations of the axis 208 of the exhaust pipe 201 relative to an upright orientation of the tractor 100 are also possible.

[0027] Inside the cab 106, a screen 210 displays an image from the camera 207 to a driver 211 of the vehicle. The screen 210 is connected to the integrated camera system 206 via a controller 213, which receives image signals from the integrated camera system 206 either via a wired or wireless connection.

[0028] In the example of FIG.2, the housing 204 extends to surround the inlet 202 and the exhaust pipe 201, leaving the outlet 203 exposed. The housing 204 may extend to surround or partially cover any portion of the inlet 202, exhaust pipe 201 and / or outlet 203. The housing 204 provides a heatshield that limits the transfer of heat from the exterior of the exhaust pipe 201 to its surroundings. The inlet 202 receives exhaust gases from an exhaust system 212 that is connected to the engine of the vehicle. The exhaust system 212 may for example comprise an exhaust gas after treatment (EAT) system configured to reduce pollutant levels in the exhaust gas passing into the exhaust assembly 200.

[0029] The integrated camera system 206 in FIG. 2 is fully contained within a recess 209 in the housing 204. The integrated camera system 206 may alternatively be partially or fully contained within a relief structure that extends from an exterior of the housing 204, as described below in relation to FIG.3. The recess 209 or relief structure may comprise a thermally insulating layer disposed between the integrated camera system 206 and the exhaust pipe 201. The integrated camera system 206 may comprise a vibration damper mounting the camera 207 to the housing 204, as described in more detail below.

[0030] The controller 213 is configured to operate the integrated camera system 206 to provide a desired visual output on the screen 210. The controller 213 may be connected to the integrated camera system 206 via either a wired connection running from the cab 106 to the integrated camera system 206 or via a wireless connection.

[0031] The controller 213 may be operated by the driver 211 or alternatively the controller 213 may be configured to receive data from other sensors positioned on the vehicle. For example, in low light conditions an ambient light sensor may be configured to instruct the controller 213 to operate the camera system 206 to provide a night vision or infrared visual output. A sensor may also be configured to sense when the vehicle is reversing or turning. This sensor may be configured to instruct the controller 213 to change the field of view of the camera 207. The driver 211 may also manually operate the controller 213 to provide a desired visual output, for example by performing any of the above operations. An advantage of the controller 213 performing the above operations is that the driver 211 does not have to leave the cab 106 to adjust visual aids such as rear-view mirrors. This is particularly advantageous in extreme weather conditions. A further advantage is that it improves ease of setup as the positioning of larger rear-view mirrors is cumbersome and can easily become undone when moving over rough terrain.

[0032] FIG.3 illustrates a detailed view of an example integrated camera system 300 for the exhaust assembly of FIG. 2. The integrated camera system 300 comprises a camera 301, a motorised mount 302 and a vibration damper 305. The camera system 300 in this example is contained within a relief structure 304 extending from an exterior of the housing 204 of the exhaust assembly 200. The camera system 300 may alternatively be provided either partially or fully within a recess or partially within the relief structure 304. In each case, a transparent screen 305 may be provided that covers the integrated camera system 300 to provide protection from dirt and moisture and to provides a surface that is straightforward to clean.

[0033] The camera 301 comprises a plurality of lenses 306a-c. Each one of the lenses 306a-c may be configured to provide a desired visual output individually or collectively. For example, each one of the lenses 306a-c may provide any one of a wide angle, zoom, night vision or infrared visual output. Images captured by the lenses 306a-c may be combined by the controller to provide a combined field of view. The visual output from any one or all of the plurality of lenses 306a-c may be provided to the screen 210 (see FIG. 2). Infrared and night vision modes have the technical advantage of improving the ability of the driver 211 to detect and avoid animals and other obstructions during low light conditions.

[0034] The vibration damper 305 comprises first and second base plates 307a, 307b. First and second anti-vibration mounts 308a, 308b connect the first and second base plates 307a, 307b, with the camera 301 mounted to the first base plate 307a and the second base plate 307b mounted to the housing 204. The anti-vibration mounts 308a, 308b act to reduce the amplitude of vibrations transferred from the housing 204 to the camera 301. This results in a clearer image provided by the camera 301. The vibration damper 305 may be an active vibration damper. An active vibration damper may be tuned to reduce the amplitude of vibrations at a specific frequency by means of destructive interference.

[0035] Each of the anti-vibration mounts 308a, 308b may comprise a compression spring. The compression spring may for example comprise a helical spring with a uniform or tapering diameter along its length, or alternatively may comprise a plurality of stacked Belleville washers. The arrangement illustrated in FIG. 3 shows two anti-vibration mounts. In alternative arrangements more than two anti-vibration mounts may be provided. Three anti-vibration mounts may for example be provided to improve lateral stability of the camera 301.

[0036] The motorised mount 302 is configured to rotate the camera 301 relative to the base plate 307a. The motorised mount 302 comprises a motor fixed to the first base plate 307a that comprises a rotatable shaft extending through the first base plate 307a to which the camera 301 is mounted. The motorised mount 302 may rotate the camera 301 in response to instructions from the controller 213 as outlined above. The motorised mount 302 may comprise a gearbox between the motor and the camera 301 to allow for fine control of the rotational position of the camera 301. The motor may be a servomotor. The integrated camera system 300 may comprise a plurality of motorised mounts 302 configured to rotate the camera 207 about a plurality of axes. The motorised mount 302 in FIG. 3 is arranged to rotate the camera 301 about a vertical axis 309 to allow the field of view of the camera 301 to be adjusted.

[0037] FIG.4a is a schematic drawing of a top view of an example exhaust assembly 400a, in which an integrated camera system 406a is partially contained within a relief structure 404 extending from an exterior of the housing 204. The outlet 203 of the exhaust pipe 201 is shown extending from the top of the exhaust housing 204. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 4a, the camera system 406a may be directed in a rearward direction relative to a forward directionof movement of the tractor 100. FIGs 4b and 4c are further schematic drawings illustrating alternative example exhaust assemblies 400b, 400c in sectional view across the housing 204. In FIG. 4b, the integrated camera system 406b is entirely contained within a recess 409 within the housing 404. In FIG. 4c, the integrated camera system 406c is partially contained within a relief structure 404 extending from an exterior of the housing 204. In the integrated camera systems as shown in FIGs 4b and 4c, the camera system is directed laterally in relation to a forward direction of movement of the tractor and multiple camera lenses (in this case three but there could be more or less than three) are arranged to provide views to the rear, side and front of the tractor. The forward-facing lens (which may be a separate camera) can be used to provide the driver with a view to the front of an area that would usually be obscured by the stackpipe 204 when the vehicle is travelling in a forward direction. The usually forward-facing lens could also be used to provide the driver with a "rear" view behind the vehicle when the vehicle is being driven in reverse. This may be particularly advantageous if the vehicle is being driven in reverse for a prolonged period with the driver's seat turned to face the rear in a so-called reverse driving position. In this case, a further screen which can be seen by the driver when the driver's seat in in the reverse driving position can be provided to display an output from the integrated camera system 406b, 406c. Rather than multiple lenses, the embodiments of FIG 4b and 4c may have a single lens where the lens is movable to multiple positions to cover rear, side and forward views or they may have multiple lenses and the positions of the lenses may be moveable to adjust the angle / direction of view.

[0038] FIG 5 illustrates a schematic sectional view of an example cab 106, exhaust system 212 and exhaust assembly 500. The driver 211 has a line of sight 501 that extends as far as the exhaust housing 204. The integrated camera system 206 has a field of view 502 that extends the driver's line of sight across a side and rear of the vehicle. This negates the need for a rear-view wing mirror on the side of the vehicle on which the exhaust housing is mounted, in this case the right-hand side. This addresses the problem of rear-view mirrors colliding or interfering with the exhaust assembly and also reduces the number of components obscuring the line of sight of the driver 211. The removal of a rear-view mirror also reduces the total width of thetractor 100 at the level of the roof of the cab 106 and removes the need for a wing mirror to be adjusted.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An exhaust assembly (200) for an agricultural vehicle, the assembly (200) comprising: an exhaust pipe (201) comprising an inlet (202) and an outlet (203); and a housing (204) connected to an exterior of the exhaust pipe (201) and extending between the inlet (202) and outlet (203), wherein the housing (204) comprises an integrated camera system (206) having a camera (207) with a field of view extending laterally to an axis of the exhaust pipe (201).

2. The exhaust assembly (200) of claim 1, wherein the integrated camera system (206) is contained within a recess (209) in the housing (204).

3. The exhaust assembly (200) of claim 1, wherein the integrated camera system (206) is contained at least partially within a relief structure (304, 404) extending from an exterior of the housing (204).

4. The exhaust assembly (200) of any preceding claim, wherein the housing (204) comprises a transparent screen (305) covering the camera system (206).

5. The exhaust assembly (200) of any preceding claim, wherein the integrated camera system (206) comprises a vibration damper (205) mounting the camera (207, 301) to the housing (204).

6. The exhaust assembly (200) of claim 5, wherein the vibration damper (205) is an active vibration damper.

7. The exhaust assembly (200) of any preceding claim, wherein the camera (301) comprises a plurality of lenses (306a-c) arranged to extend a field of view (502) of the camera (301).

8. The exhaust assembly (200) of any preceding claim, wherein the integrated camera system (206, 300) comprises a motorised mount (302) configured to rotate the camera (301) about a rotation axis (309).

9. The exhaust assembly (200) of claim 8, wherein the rotation axis (309) is parallel to an axis (208) of the exhaust pipe (201).

10. The exhaust assembly (200) of claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the camera system (300) comprises a first base plate (307a) to which the motorised mount (302) is fixed, the motorised mount (302) comprising a motor having a rotatable shaft to which the camera (301) is mounted.

11. The exhaust assembly (200) of claim 10, wherein the camera system (300) comprises a second base plate (307b) and a plurality of anti-vibration mounts (308a, 308b) connecting the first base plate (307a) to the second base plate (308b).

12. The exhaust assembly (200) of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of anti-vibration mounts (308a, 308b) comprises a compression spring.

13. An agricultural vehicle (100) comprising an exhaust assembly (200) according to any preceding claim, wherein the exhaust assembly (200) is mounted with an axis (208) of the exhaust pipe (201) vertical relative to an upright orientation of the vehicle (100).

14. The agricultural vehicle (100) of claim 13, wherein the agricultural vehicle (100) is a tractor, the exhaust assembly (200) mounted adjacent a cab (106) of the tractor (100).

15. The agricultural vehicle (100) of claim 14, wherein the cab comprises a screen (210) configured to display an image from the camera (207).

16. The agricultural vehicle (100) of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein a field of view (502) of the camera (207) extends across a side and a rear of the tractor (100).

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